Card filing equipment



Aug 30, 1949. G. c. BRUEN 2,480,444

CARD FILING EQUIPMENT Filed April 25, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Amig.l 30, 1949. G. c. BRUEN 2,480,444

vCARD FILING EQUIPMENT Filed Apri; 25, 1946 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Aug. 30, 1949 UNITED STATES 2,210,444 oFFlcE PATENT Y CARD FILING EQUIPMENT St. Joseph, Mo.

Application April 25, 1946, Serial No. 664,943

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to card ling equipment, and particularly to a form of such equipment adapted to uses in which a dust-proof enclosure is desirable and the space required for use and storage of the equipment is limited.

An object of the invention is to provide card ling equipment adapted to convenient and expeditious handling of a large number of cards and with Which the cards may be enclosed for storage or exposed for use in practically ythe same space.

As a further object, the present invention provides card filing equipment wherein a base and a coacting card-carrying tray together form a substantially dust-proof container for the cards during storage, and which base may be utilized to support the tray during use.

It is also within the purview of this invention to provide card filing equipment including cardcarrying trays for securely holding a quantity of le cards for free movement to a convenient place of use, as well as in an inverted position during storage.

Other objects and advantages of the invention Will be apparent from the following ydescription and the accompanying drawings in which similar characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

In the two sheets of drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front end elevational View of card filing equipment embodying the invention, illustrating two card trays carried by a base; one of said trays being inverted to its storage position and the other tray being shown in its upright or working position;

Fig. 2 is an end sectional view of the card iiling equipment depicted in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side sectional view of the card filing equipment shown in Figs. l and 2;

Fig. 4 is a top plan View of the card filing equipment depicted in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of one of the card trays of Figs. l, 2 and 4 in its upright position relative to the base; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional View illustrating certain details of construction of the card tray shown in Fig. 5.

Considered generally, the disclosed card filing equipment is exemplary and includes card-carrying trays and 2| adapted to be supported in either of two positions by a box-like base 22 for use on a desk or other work support in a position convenient for reference cards. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the trays 20 and 2| may be placed upon the base 22 in either an inverted orl storage position illustrated by tray 29, or an `upright or workingr position in which the tray 2l is shown. Although the illustrative embodiment of the invention has two card-carrying trays, the card iling equipment may be constructed to employ one or alarger number of trays, the number being dependent upon factors such as desired classications and the number of cards to be led. For flexibility of use, the bases for a plurality of trays may be separated, although in many instances it is desirable to provide a single base for the accommodation of a plurality of trays, as indicated in the drawings.v

The general construction and arrangement of the trays 26 and 2l and the base 22 are such that when either of the trays is placed in the inverted or-storage position of the tray 2li, the base and tray together form a substantially dust-proof en- -closure for the cards. On the other hand, when a tray is placed in the operating position of the tray 2l, the cards are exposed for ready access. Since the cards in any tray are exposed for access and enclosed for storage by inversion of the tray, it follows that the disclosed card ling equipment requires for use only the desk or support space which it normally occupies. That is, no space in addition to that occupied need be. a1- lowed for the opening of drawers, doors or the like.

Considering the various parts of the card filing equipment in more detail, the trays 25 and 2l are similarly constructed and the description of one will suce for both. While both the trays and the base may be made of various materials, the structures depicted herein are adapted to manufacture from wood, plywood or the like. Each of the trays 20 and 2| has a substantially flat bottom 23. At opposite ends of the bottom 23, and secured thereto, are end walls 24 and 25 which, together with the bottom 23, carry cardsupporting bars 22, which bars extend longitudinally between the end walls in laterally spaced and substantially parallel relationship. The end walls 24 and 25 desirably present outwardly diverging and opposed card-supporting surfaces Elia and 25a, respectively, facing toward one another, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. Cards 28 are carried by and movable longitudinally along the bars 26. The upward divergence of the inner end wall surfaces not only conforms to the natural position assumed by the cards, but also'provides support for the cards in a slanting position which promotes ease of separation and inspection.

The outer surfaces 29 and 3i! of the end walls 3 24 and 25, respectively, are irregularly curved to provide a grip for the fingers when the trays are carried.

On opposite sides, each tray has side walls 3i and 32 which extend along the full length of the tray and which, together with the bottom 23 and the end walls 24 and 25, providea box-like housing for the cards 28.

Referring to Fig. 2, each ofthe cardecarrying bars 26 has a sectional shape such that it comprises a substantially cylindrical and longitudinally extending upper bead 26a',` a substantially.

cylindrical and longitudinally extending lower bead 2Gb and an integrally formed and relatively thin intervening web 26e connecting the beads. By preference, the lower bead 2Gb is smaller in section than the upper bead 26a.

The bottom 23 is provided with parallel and longitudinally extending channels 33 which open upwardly of the bottom and are adapted slidably to receive the lower beads 26h of the card-carrying bars. Desirably, and to provide support for the bars 26 throughout their lengths when the trays are turned to various positions or inverted for storage, the upper edge portions of the channels are restricted by flanges 34v to an extent suc-h that the open edge portions thereof slidably con-- line the webs 25e of the bars and are narrower than the beads 2Gb. The webs 25o of the bars 26 extend upwardly from the base to an extent such that the upper beads 26a are in spaced and parallel relationship to the surface of the bottom 23 and desirably support the cards 28 in spaced relationship to the base.

The end wall 24 has apertures 35 which are aligned longitudinally with the channels 33 in the bottom 23 and are of a size such that the bars 26 may be slid endwise into the channels through those apertures. At the other end of the tray, the cnd wall 25 has recesses 35 therein which are aligned with the channels 33 to receive and provide stops for the endwise movement of the bars 2S toward that end wall'. When the bars 25, are fully inserted into the channels 33 and their ends extend into the recesses 3B in the end Wall 25. their length is suchv that their opposite ids. extend into. the. apertures 35 of the end wall The card-carrying bars 26 are. releasably held in` place by a pair of apertured metal plates 3'! and 38 mounted for sliding movement relative tothe. end wall on suitable holding. means,l such as wood screws. 39', which screws extend through longitudinal slots, 4a. in the, plates. A compression spring 4 2 is mounted between outwardly turned and adjacent end flanges 4| on the plates 3l and 33 to. bias the plates to a bar-holding position across. the apertures, 35 as shown in Fig. l. The adjacent. flanges. 4l. on the plates 3l. and 38, serve as. grips which may bemanually pressed together against. the biasing force of thespring 42 to retract the plates from their holding positions across. the ends. of the b ars 26. When thus retracted, the card-carrying barsY 2,6 may be slid endwise from the trays.

The cards 28, which are preferred in the present instance, have substantially key-hole shaped slots, 43 along one edge thereof, which slots 43 fit over; the upperV beads 25a and grip the. bars so as: to stay in position even when. the. trays are, turned to various positions, including the completely inverted or storage position shown in Fig. 3. Two bars are desirable to support cards ot usual size and. weight in aligned relationship and spaced: from the base, although other numbers may be employed when desired.

The space between the bottom of the tray and the lower edges of the cards, which is indicated at 44 in Fig. 5, is provided so that the cards may be easily moved from one position to another along the bars regardless of their direction of slope and readily separated without wedging on the bottom 23'. A, card support 45 may be provided' when only a few cards are employed in the tray.

The base 22 has a bottom 46, side walls 41 and 48, end walls 49 and 50 and a partition Wall Elli secured together to form a box-like support having compartments of a size related to that of the trays Ztl andv 2|.

Asshown in 3, and in order that the suspended cards will clear the bottom of the base when a tray is inverted for storage, the tray is supported in an elevated position relative to the base- Such support is eected by' engagement of the end Wall 24 of the card-carrying tray with the notched end wall 4.9 of the base 22- and the end wall 25 with a wood block 52, Secured within the opposite end ofthe base. Longitudinal movement of the card tray relative to; the base is restricted bv stop 53 and the end wal-1159;.

As depicted in Figs. 2 and 3, the side and patti tion walls 41 and 5i ofthe base 2G overlap the side Walls 3l and 32 of the tray when the end walls of the base and tray are engaged the inverted position of the tray to provide 2i substantially dust-proof storage enclosure tory the cards 28.

The card-carrying trays, in their upright or working position, illustrated in Fig.. 5., fit within their respective storage compartments of the: base and are carried' on the bottom 45 thereof to expose the cards for use. In addition to being stored and usable in the same occupied space, the trays are readily removable from the base for separate use elsewhere.

While a preferred embodiment of this invention has been illustrated, many modifications may be made Without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is not intended thatY the invention is to be limited to the precise details of the construction set forth, but shallinclude all of the changes within the scope of theappended claims.

Having thus described the present invention', what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

l. Card ling equipment comprising, in combination, a base having a bottom with end' and side walls and an intermediate partition secured thereto to form adjacent simi-lar compartments open at the top, said intermediate partition being parallel to the side walls, said side walls, intermediate partition and one of said end walls being of substantially the same height relative to the bottom, the other of said end walls. being lower than said one of the end walls and having a notched upper surface, support blocks of substantially the height of the notched Portion of said other end wall secured within each compartment adjacent said. one of the end walls, a Cardcarrying tray for each of said compartments, said trays each having a bottom with end and side Walls secured thereto, said end walls of each tray being higher than the side walls andI divergin-g outwardly away fromthe tray-bottom, the divergenceof the tray end walls and the dimensions of the tray bottom being such that the trays. fit into sai'd compartments in an upright: position with each tray bottom resting against the bottom of the base, the divergence and height of said tray end walls being such that each tray is supported in an inverted position relative to the base by engagement of the tray end walls with said support block and the notched portion of said other end wall, the height of the tray side Walls being such that when the tray is supported by the base in the inverted position the tray side walls t between and are overlapped by one of the base side walls and the intermediate partition so that each tray and the base together form an enclosure, and means for holding cards in each of the trays.

2. Card filing equipment comprising, in combination, a, base having a bottom with end and side Walls secured thereto to form a rectangular compartment open at the top, means providing tray supporting surfaces of substantially the same height and lower than the side walls at each end of the base, a card-carrying tray of substantially the width of the interior of the compartment, said tray having a bottom with end and side walls secured thereto, said side Walls of the tray being substantially parallel and said end walls diverging outwardly away from the tray bottom and providing outwardly sloping card supporting surfaces, the divergence of the tray end Walls and the dimensions of the tray bottom being such that the tray ts into said compartment in an upright position between said tray supporting surfaces With the tray bottom resting against the bottom of the base, the divergence and height of the tray end walls also being such that the tray is supported relative to the base in an inverted position by engagement of the tray end Wall with said tray supporting surfaces, the height of the tray side Walls being such that when the tray is supported by the base in the inverted position the tray side walls fit between and are overlapped by the base side walls so that the tray and base together form an enclosure, and means for retaining cards in the tray.

SOPHIE E. BRUEN, Eecutz'm of the Last Will and Testament of George C. Bruen, Deceased.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 683,295 Kelly Sept. 24, 1901 2,080,283 Lowenfels May 11, 1937 2,409,308 Paxton Oct. 15, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 613,913 Germany May 28, 1935 

